Michael,

In New York, if you are planning to sell liquor, wine and beer on premises, you will need an ???On-Premises Liquor??? license, but food must also be served. A ???Tavern Wine??? license allows for on-premises consumption of wine and beer. There are other classifications for retailers that you may fall under, but all on-premises retail licenses use one application. Licensing is handled by the New York State Liquor Authority. For the sale of tobacco you would need a Retail Dealer registration for the Sales of Tobacco Products. This license is issued by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Furthermore, you would need to register your business with the state of NY and register for a Sales Tax Certificate of Authority.

In New Jersey, to serve alcoholic beverages at retail you will need a Class C Retail Alcoholic Beverage License. These licenses are usually issued by the municipality where the establishment is located. You must obtain a New Jersey business registration.

This is a general summary but more licenses and registrations may apply, including at the local level.